Tanya’s Score: Good-and-a-half*
Rated: 14A
Starring: a counsellor, a psycho, the mom from Ma
Plot: After serving 14 years in prison for a violent crime, Max Cady (Robert De Niro) stalks and terrorizes the family of the lawyer (Nick Nolte) who defended him.
Tanya’s Verdict: I last saw this movie in 1991 at the theatre – and in my memory I liked it. Based on the 1962 movie of the same name (which I also enjoyed back in the day), I figured this one would be a good thriller to share with my kids. I hit the nail on the head.
Though slow to generate, there was enough tension in the plot to keep them hooked. And I forgot about the accompanying music – perfectly composed to accentuate the building suspense. Martin Scorsese is artistic in many of his shot set ups and angles, making this movie beautiful to look at.
Robert De Niro is brilliant in his outwardly charming and slyly sinister portrayal of Max Cady. His interactions with actor Ileana Douglas have the audience waiting for the other shoe to drop – without disappointment.
So many of Cape Fear‘s twists and turns were forgotten to me – making it a pleasure to re-watch – especially with my kids along for the ride. Beware – there are a couple of gruesomely violent scenes. And I had to listen to my kids tell me how Cape Fear ripped off specific scenes from The Simpsons.
*Four score descriptions: Sh**; Okay; Good; Great